Advices and analyses

-27th day of AC, 27.04.1052-

-Time: Around 13:00-

[Skill 'Iron Wall' leveled up!]

Travis hissed, feeling the wound on his arm deepen. He dismissed the notification, his golden eyes focusing on Rimel who had stopped a few meters away. The elf's face bore a wide smirk, and he appeared to not care much for the wounds on his body. Blood had sept into his cut attire, coloring the tunic and pants in a dark scarlet hue.

"Still quite rigid," Rimel criticized, lowering his blade to the ground. Travis's blood trickled from its tip. "But you seem to understand the basics now."

Travis expulsed some air, feeling the metallic smell of blood in his throat. Sourness welled up on his tongue, which he spat to the side. He took in the moment of calm and scanned Rimel.

[Name: Rimel

Class: Swordsman

Level: ???

HP: 1960/4500 (43.55%)

<Further analysis impossible>]

The Apostle sighed, lifting Thunder Blade. This was his 28th attempt to clear the trial. It was also the second one where he got Rimel below 50% HP. The elf didn't look the part, in sincerity, his vigor as unchanged as ever and his movements just as agile. Must've been the effect of the Tower, Travis figured. His own HP was below 600, but he still stood strong.

He took the base stance. Rimel's brown eyes scanned him in an instant. His mouth curved in a smile. He appeared pleased as he reciprocated. They stared at each other for a few seconds, obvious analysis transpiring in silence.

Rimel advanced first. His blade moved with grace and fluidity. The Apostle responded, following his motions as though copying him. Their blades met a few times, but it was clear that Travis was at a disadvantage. One thing in particular that bothered him was that his balance felt off. Just how could the Swordsman in front of him avoid making that mistake so easily? No, rather, why did it feel like this error did not exist for the elf?

Rimel pressed against Travis. Despite the elf's lean body, even the slight push he gave made the smaller man stumble back. Before he recovered, Rimel was already in the middle of performing quick footwork. Instantly, Travis recognized which one it was and attempted to move away. As the blade was aimed at his chest, he cast Sprint to dash to the side.

"Hmm," Rimel's tone sounded, a smidge of disappointment staining it. "Not half bad," he chuckled, taking a deeper breath and slowly moving away. "You're getting the hang of it. How does your execution of it look, I wonder?"

Travis squinted, noticing the elf ready himself. Looking at his status, he confirmed his resources to be slowly recovering. The timer for the mission showed less than 7 minutes.

He wasn't exactly sure when it happened. Since the very beginning, Rimel avoided executing him outright, instead commenting on his form, both the bad and the good. They were mostly small remarks about his overall form and how he performed certain movements. Once or twice, it was even a brief explanation. However, every time Travis listened, he could tell his form improved, slowly but surely. Therefore, he didn't hesitate to assume the base stance and aim his sword at the man. His steps flowed with far less grace, but the motion was there. At least, he hoped it was.

However, his action was seemingly effortlessly blocked.

"You put too much strength into it," Rimel said. "It becomes unstable and hard to control," he continued, his motions forcing Travis to spin his blade. "Don't **** it like that. Think more flexibly," the elf said, taking a few steps back.

"...more flexibly?" Travis squinted, unsure of the meaning behind the elf's words.

"The most important thing in swordsmanship is not strength or speed, but proper balance. Once you understand its importance, the rest will follow naturally," the elf explained as he performed a few fluid steps. "Don't overcomplicate things and do it all at once. Focus on taking just one step. That will be enough."

Travis flinched, the elf's words making him halt his advance. What did Rimel mean? He couldn't understand. Every single skill Rimel used required several steps. How could one be enough?

The ponder was swept away as Rimel moved. Mana surged, and his motions turned rapid. When Travis tried to replicate that technique, he could attack at most twice a second, and even then he couldn't aim properly due to the speed. Rimel struck at least at double his speed, and every blow was terrifyingly accurate.

[You have received 102 damage.]

[...]

[...]

Travis moved frantically, casting a Sprint. With that and a quick motion, he managed to evade or block most of Rimel's strikes. However, the aftermath of the **** was obvious. With a glance at his status, he confirmed that his HP dropped below 200.

A notification sprung up but was promptly ignored, much like the surge of strength in Travis's veins. His golden eyes met Rimel's bronze ones.

"Seems like it's the end," the elf man commented. "Think about what I said, Travis."

[You have received 857 damage.]

-A few hours later-

Travis's feet moved fluidly, taking small, controlled steps.

'One step...'

That thought permeated his mind the entire time since his last few tries a couple of hours ago. Rimel wouldn't have said words without meaning. Every time he spoke before, the advice he gave ended up helping him. However, unlike other times, it sounded strangely cryptic. Travis couldn't help but try to seek some deeper, more profound meaning.

Suddenly, something pinched his cheek. Startled, Travis glanced at Aria to find her looking at him, her green eyes narrowed. A touch of impatience softened her usual calm expression, and he noticed her arms crossed.

"Are you even listening to me?" she asked with a mildly displeased tone.

"Sorry," he replied. "What were you saying?"

"*Sigh* I was wondering what supplies we wanted to get in Tylened. We'll reach it tomorrow, so I wanted to make a list. But apparently, I've been talking to a wall," she grimaced. "What's gotten you so lost in thought?"

"I'm thinking about what Rimel told me," the man put a hand on his chin as his brows furrowed. "I can't help but feel like he's speaking gibberish. When he said things previously, it was clearer and more direct."

Aria hummed briefly, her expression softening as she clearly thought about his words. The emerald eyes hid behind eyelids as she interlocked her elbow with the man's, her mind wandering into the expanses of her imagination. "I can't help you understand that. I don't know swordsmanship," she said, glancing at the silver plane of the sky above them.

"I know, I know," Travis squeezed her hand briefly. "Sorry to bother you."

"It's alright. Maybe you should just take a break. You've been training that weird style of his constantly."

The Apostle hummed. It was hard to disagree with Aria's words. When he saw Rimel's swordsmanship, he realized what Rulebreaker meant during their latest talk. More than that, too, he was amazed at the prowess Rimel had shown, and his damage output was incredible. That's why he kept on repeating that style to the best of his capability. If Trial Tower was supposed to teach him that, he would not sleep on its lectures. But, perhaps he was overdoing it?

Travis let out a whiff of air. Deciding against further ponders, he took a minute to look around them.

The path leading them through the plains was damp, its dirt turned into mud from the aftermath of yesterday's storm. The tall grass around glistened in the sun's rays, innumerable water droplets sitting atop their blades. The somewhat slippery path was still better than the surroundings, as the wet grass, combined with the slight slope of the terrain, was a trap waiting for the tiniest misstep.

Travis's eyes did not stray from the path, seeking out any spots he could place his feet on stably.

"Well, back to the issue," Aria said, steadying herself against his arm as she felt her foot almost slipping. "Maybe we can find a vendor to sell some of the runestones and things we won't need. You can then go to the blacksmiths and deal with your things. I need to go to an office and-- ah!"

A sudden, startled yelp broke through Travis’s focus. In a flash, he felt her grip slip, her body tipping forward as her foot slid out from under her on the muddy ground. Instinctively, Travis reacted, tugging her toward him while stepping forward. He didn’t even think about it. He just moved, his body acting on its own.

"Travis, what are-- whoa!" Aria fumbled as her feet scrambled to keep up with him. He was guiding her but without ****. His movements were sure, flowing from one step to the next, and she followed, her eyes wide with surprise.

It all happened so fast, yet every blink felt like an eternity to him. Each step felt like an extension of the last, natural and unforced, the two of them moving as one. Travis felt his body almost automatically respond to everything his eyes saw. Every safe spot was trotted on, every unsure stone skipped, every extra slippery patch of mud avoided with a wide stride. His mind, for at least a short moment, was focused like never before.

And then, just as quickly, it was over. They found themselves standing atop a stable patch of grass-covered stone, a safe distance from the muddy trail below.

"Are you alright?" Travis broke the stunned silence.

"Yes," she stammered. Aria blinked up at him, her cheeks flushed as she realized how close they were. Her gaze immediately dropped to where his hand rested gently on her waist, steadying her. She didn’t pull away, and Travis could feel a faint warmth rise in his own cheeks as he steadied her. The quiet intimacy of the moment wrapped around them like a secret they were to share. “Thank you,” she murmured, her voice barely audible over the gentle rustle of the grass. Then, almost subconsciously, she leaned in, her nose brushing Travis's cheek before she gave him a peck with her lips.

Travis gently responded, hugging her as his lips pursued hers. His hands descended down her frame, holding her by her waist for a few seconds before they cupped her posterior. Aria gave him half a gasp, not to say a moan, her body pressing against him further as she got into the act.

They spent a couple of seconds like that before separating, deciding to continue their journey.

The path before them sloped gently downward, a contrast to what they'd just been through. The next peak they'd have to reach, just under a kilometer away, was already devoid of most plant life bar the grass itself, barely a few small trees standing stark near the top - it was a signal that they fully encroached the territory of Quear Mountains again. A small stream could be seen flowing in the valley below, serving as a good spot to set a camp, should they decide to.

-Around 22-

27. Getting ahead of everyone is a suggestion, not a requirement

[Power comes from experience, levels, and stats - this much you probably know. However, come to think of it, what wins in great battles?

Many great fights between armies can be decided through a duel of the best fighters. It is a way for both armies to not take any causalities while defining an outcome of a given conflict. Of course, that is only one of the ways.

Another thing that wins fights is interfering with the other side. Using mental magic to give false orders to their chieftains, causing unexplained spikes of fear or pain in the soldiers charging in the frontlines, or even making their mounts turn on them. You have a vast, open space to exhibit your abilities.

Overpowering an opponent, either through physical or magical means, is a perfectly fine way of winning. But there are other means of winning.

Think about your class. Give your abilities a deep thought. Think of new strategies, ones that you normally wouldn't consider. Do not be afraid to use them when the situation demands it.]

Travis looked to the sky, his gaze meeting the underside of uncountable leaves. The stark tree they decided to camp under was just one example of ancient flora in the forest, its bark marked in many places by many animals. The thick roots lay on the ground, converging into a trunk that could easily hide either of the travelers should they stand behind it.

He summoned his status, watching the numbers denoting his mana and Willpower.

'Something I wouldn't consider...' he pondered, eyeing the latter stat. A hint of strategy gleamed in his eyes as a new thought unfolded. 'Mental magic... My Willpower finally is looking good enough for me to try a couple of Mind Prickles...' he nodded. A memory of Teleran reverberated. 'And, maybe, just maybe, I’ll buy myself enough time for something bigger... though I doubt I'll be able to hold him down enough for Hypnosis...'

Travis dismissed the panel with a sharp exhale, releasing the tension that came with it. His eyes escaped to the left.

Aria was sitting within a hand's reach, huddled up in a blanket. Her face was illuminated by the fire, the orange fires dancing on her fair skin and white hair. The emerald of her eyes was unwaveringly focused on the lines of text in the book on her lap. He watched for a prolonged moment as the fingers of her other hand moved, the gestures seemingly random by themselves yet creating a fluid harmony together. She appeared to not even notice the man use Rulebreaker's Piece, completely immersed in her lecture.

Without a word, he reached out, lightly rubbing her shoulder. The contact was gentle, barely enough to pull her from her trance.

"...hmm?" Aria's eyes fluttered, the green depths focusing as she turned toward him, looking up with a faint, dreamy smile.

"It's getting late. How about we go to sleep?"

She blinked, stifling a yawn as she glanced down at her book before nodding. "Yeah, I think it's about time," she agreed, closing her lecture and putting it in her bag.

They settled against the thick trunk, her shoulder leaning into his, and for a moment, they both looked skyward, each lost in private thoughts. She breathed in steadily, and her fingers found his hand, intertwining slowly.

"We should reach Tylened before noon tomorrow," she broke the silence. "I think we can stay there a night before we set off east. That'll give us time to properly take care of what we need to. What do you think?" she glanced at him with a slightly quizzical expression.

"Sounds good to me."

"Then, you can take care of the runestones, and I'll visit the offices. And then, we can finally go and rest in an inn. Gods, how I miss sleeping in a bed."

Travis gave her a faint laugh. 'I can understand what she feels. We might have good conditions thanks to her bag, but nothing quite beats a nice, warm bed.'

Aria rubbed her cheek against his arm. The traces of weariness softened her face, and her voice grew quiet, the day’s journey finally pulling her under. "...goodnight," she said, her tone quieter.

“Goodnight,” he replied, wrapping his arm around her. For a while, he simply held her close, letting the contact subside the thoughts that plagued his mind.

...

A couple of minutes passed.

Travis looked around slowly. Confirming that Aria was sleeping, he dislodged from her hug, letting her rest in peace. Then, he raised to a standing position and stepped away.

The air around him was thick with forest scents and the distant hum of nocturnal life, yet he felt a singular focus settling over him.

He spread his feet, closing his eyes briefly, letting himself replay memories of the day’s steps. Earlier, while climbing that hill, each stride had seemed guided by an instinct he couldn’t fully grasp. In his mind, there was only one thought: to get to the top of the hill without tripping. Everything between Aria almost slipping and them reaching the destination was a natural flow. And, looking back at it, he realized something.

'It feels... weird. I wasn't just walking. There was footwork used in there, a lot of it.' he thought, taking care to position his feet properly. 'But strangely, I didn't feel imbalanced at all. Rather, it felt natural to do it this way.' he continued the ponders, hastening his movements slightly. With every step, his motions became more fluid and refined.

He frowned, grabbing Thunder Blade and doing a few motions with it. With every next stance he employed, he approached a new realization.

'Rimel did say not to overcomplicate things... that's the meaning of that 'one step'. Don't do the whole motion at once, and instead piece it together. One step at a time.'

Finally stopping, Travis sheathed his sword. However, as he looked at Aria, and then around, a faint thought emerged in his cranium. Something called to him, tugging at the edges of his mind, urging him toward the place he had come to know well.

...

Travis affixed Pacifist to his waist. In his pocket, the pearl he had used once so far rested, and Thunder Blade was by his waist, its belt holding it tightly.

Doing one last preparation, he scanned the surroundings. There was nothing in sight, which was to be expected. They had spent some time before clearing out the space around, and their camping area was in a cleverly hidden spot between the trees that made it difficult to tell there was anyone unless one came very close. Adding to it the fact that Aria was almost completely covered with a blanket, Travis felt at ease. Besides, he wouldn't be gone for long. He just wanted to try something out, that was all.

The door barely even manifested before he was already pressing on its handle. Confirming one last time that everything was in order and the white-haired woman was sleeping safe and sound, he pushed on.

...

The arena looked as grandeur as he had seen it several times before. The air, arid and warm, pushed itself into his lungs, purging whatever remained of the humid and damp atmosphere he just stepped out of. The unmoving sun cast a myriad of rays that created unmoving shadows under his feet.

Travis steadied himself, feeling his heartbeat quicken with anticipation. Across the arena, on a raised slab of stone, sat Rimel, his sword propped casually against his knee. The elf’s sharp gaze locked onto him instantly, a faint gleam of approval sparking in his brown eyes. He appeared pleased, in a way, to see him again. Almost like he could tell something changed about the Apostle.

Rimel grabbed his sword silently and unsheathed it, slowly taking a few steps forward. He scanned Travis as the man stopped a few meters away.

"Have you thought about what I said?" Rimel asked, his expression relaxed.

"...yeah," the Apostle nodded, unsheathing Thunder Blade. His golden eyes glanced to the side as he summoned his status. 10 available stat points lay, ready for use. Without a word, his feet settled naturally into a stance, his body moving with a newfound ease.

The elf man looked surprised for a terse moment, seeing the man's posture. But then, just as suddenly, his lips curved in a content smile as he reciprocated.

"Well then," Rimel nodded, mana starting to well up around him. "Let's begin."

Travis exhaled deeply. Then, he took the first step.

-Meanwhile, on an island near the continent-

The scenery around teemed with all kinds of life. Small crickets lurked about in the mire beneath a huge tree. The air was thick with the scent of pollen released by huge flowers sitting on their branches. Tiny fauna ran here and there, skimming through the dense forest. Avians, in the form of colorful birds, flew around, perching on their chosen branches of trees all around, chirping away as they saw something approach and pass by them.

Lurking between the trees was a man, Aztar.

He was tall and muscular, his long hair of almost black color hanging well below his elbows as he moved about barefoot, stepping onto tree roots all around. His clothing was rather conservative, consisting of a thin tunic and short pants. Their state - slightly torn and visibly worn out - gave the man a somewhat feral look. That, however, did not reflect the way he acted or sounded.

Aztar peacefully hummed a song only he knew, calmly walking to the huge tree in the middle of the forest. As he approached his target, he effortlessly grabbed onto the bark of its sides, and flexed his toned muscles, beginning his climb. There were no signs of tiredness showing on him as he reached the first level of branches, wider than many of the tree's roots, and sat down, leaning on the tree itself.

He had a lot of space to move about, enough to sleep in here if he wished to. But he didn't plan on doing so. Instead, he crossed his legs and closed his eyes, placing the palms of his hands on the tree. With every passing breath, the man felt closer to the tree, to nature. With every beat of his heart, he could feel his senses stretching into the vast unknown, slowly covering the forest, one root at a time.

As he continued doing so, a small snake started making its way down the tree from a higher level. It was just half a meter long, of dark brown and green colors, barely as girthy as the man's wrist. As it approached Aztar, it bared its fangs, translucent poison dripping slowly. It seemed to be getting ready to shoot at him as it came. It got lower and lower, pressing its body further and further...

"Lishen, there you are," the man said in a serene yet heavy and rough voice. Without looking at the snake, he extended his hand toward it, which prompted the animal to hide its fangs and slither onto the hand. The man brought the snake closer to his head and looked at its head with his glazing, brown eyes. His large lips extended in a smile as he petted the snake a little. "Look at you. Very strong for your size. You'll definitely get to be an apex predator when you mature. Hmm, I think I've learned something lately, do you want to try it?" he asked, waiting briefly before he felt the snake move slightly. Recognizing this as a confirmation, the man stroked the snake's head with a thumb. "Nature's Way," he spoke calmly, expelling some magic. Within a short second, all of his mana got sucked up by Lishen, still tied around his radius.

As the last of the man's magic dissipated into the snake, the reptile seemed to immediately grow in size. Its body became slightly thicker, but sleeker, and numerous scales appeared one by one, seemingly from under its skin, covering it whole. Its head rapidly changed, becoming more dragon-like, with enlarged nostrils, a heightened nose, and several small, spike-like bones going backward, giving it a very distinct corona behind its head. Its eyes seemed to not have changed at all, but they definitely were looking forward with more focus than before, as the brain of the creature developed rapidly.

The snake's growth stopped when it reached just about 2 meters in length. Not waiting for anything, it dropped on the branch and turned around a little, looking at the man.

"Hmm... seems like wyrm is all I can do for you. Such is the limit of the current envoy of Goddess Anila, I'm afraid," the man said, petting the wyrm's head. The reptile immediately answered by coming closer and leaning in, as it seemed to like the gesture.

Suddenly, Aztar felt something tingle him in the back of his mind. Piercing right through the sweet scents he sensed, avoiding the barricade of rough bark under him, a feeling of pain erupted faintly. With a slight grimace, he focused. Taking a deep breath in and out, he placed both his hands on the tree bark, his connection to the flora growing with each second.

With his eyes closed, the man felt his spirit leave his body, traveling alongside the tree's surface. Although he couldn't see, he easily sensed everything he passed by. A large plant on one branch. A bird perched on another. A small fox-like creature sleeping peacefully under the tree's roots, breathing stably and unbothered by his spirit passing by.

And then, he quickly skittered into the forest, toward the source of the pain that was emanating once again, stronger this time. Within seconds, he was near it, more than three hundred meters from his current position.

One pair of steps, two... no, three. Using only the sound and smell, the dark-skinned man was doing his best to recognize exactly what was trespassing on the forest he was protecting.

...

'There's... three humans.' he suddenly came to the realization. Slowly, he canceled his skill and looked at Lishen.

"We have some guests. How about we go and greet them?" he asked, carefully caressing the animal which started making its way up his hand and arm, tying itself lightly around his neck. Despite its heavily increased weight, Aztar didn't seem to have any trouble moving about.

In just a minute or so, he descended from the tree, making his way through the dense forest. A few animals followed his tracks, sensing that his steps were purposeful.

Knowing where the trespassers were, Aztar didn't have to ponder to know exactly how to intercept them. Within a few short minutes, he was already looking down at them from his position on a tree.

"Miss Illa," the young man murmured as they moved through the dense forest. "are we sure we're close? Could this just be another of his tricks?"

Illa glanced back at him with a knowing look. "You don't sense it? The magic in the air?"

Jack shook his head, looking almost apologetic. "Not like you Mages do. I'm a Knight. I know how to wield magic, but I don’t feel it the way you can."

"That's why we’ll guide you," Illa replied smoothly. "You’ll handle him once we find him, while Bernice and I take care of the rest."

Jack hesitated, glancing between them. "But if he’s a Shaman, why would I make a difference?"

Bernice, the other woman in their group, answered with a dry laugh. "Aztar knows us too well. We were in the same guild once; he knows our strategies, our strengths and weaknesses. He only started using magic after changing classes a few years back, but we’ve never been able to subdue him. You’re our wild card, Jack. But don't expect an easy victory."

Jack swallowed, brows drawn together. "I’ve heard the stories. But honestly, I thought they were exaggerated."

"They were nothing but truth," Illa muttered, her gaze sharpening. "It’s still hard to believe he fell under the influence of that cursed book and changed his class. We destroyed it, but by then… the damage was already done," she added, her expression slightly sorrowful like the words invoked a painful memory.

"I beg to differ, Illa," Aztar spoke, loudly and slowly, his voice carried over to the trio. Without any further ado, he jumped down from his tree, landing about a dozen meters behind them. "I have always held my reasoning ability in high regard."

"!" Illa's bright face seemed to become even paler as she looked at the man, a somewhat shocked expression on her face. "In position!" she commanded, immediately stepping a bit closer and taking an extendable staff from her side.

"Oh, but why the wariness?" Aztar asked, a slightly puzzled expression on his face.

Illa didn't answer, instead glancing at Bernice and the newbie. The two quickly armed themselves, the woman pulling out a mace while the man readied his shield.

"A-Aztar Ecan, a-am I right?" the newbie asked, carefully taking a short step forward, prepared to bash or defend at any given moment.

The man nodded lightly, arms behind his back as he calmly watched the trio in front of him nervously observe his movements. "You must be here to try and subdue me again, I take it?"

"...Aztar Ecan," Illa said. "On the account of the city of Bina, you are put under arrest. You've been charged with numerous acts of shamanistic magic, one hundred and forty-seven acts of destroying public property, and dabbling into Hexer's techniques. The city has been kind enough to not put a **** order on your head since you've not taken the life of another or harmed them in any way, but all of those are still heavy accusations. Please give yourself up or we'll be **** to attack."

"...I apologize, but that will not be happening," Aztar replied, taking a slight step back.

"...Mister Aztar," the young man holding the shield said. "With all due respect for your past achievements, you are in no position to be saying something like that. You are unarmed and unarmored. Please comply before you get hurt."

"Unarmed...?" Aztar looked over the three of them and chuckled. "I am sorry, but you are mistaken."

"???"

"You stepped into my territory and think I'm unprepared?" the tall man finished his thought and got to one knee, placing his hand on a tree root and casting a spell. "Nature's Strength."

Within a short second, the ground around the trio shifted, and suddenly, some tentacle-like monsters of deep brown color tied themselves around their calves and pulled slightly down. Illa and Bernice immediately lost support and fell to the ground, but the newbie managed to respond by slamming his shield into the dirt, only falling to one knee. The tentacles quickly hid away from his ****.

"...what the hell was that?" he asked, looking back at the two. "Are you two alright?"

"We're fine," Bernice answered sharply, slamming the things around her legs with her weapon. Within a few seconds, they relented, allowing her to get up. "Worry about yourself."

'Tree roots?' Illa thought, noticing what the tentacles really were. She glanced toward Aztar, who was standing in the same spot as he previously was, calmly watching their reaction to his attack.

"...that's not shamanistic magic," she said, cutting the roots and getting up as well. "I'm not sure what it is, but be careful."

"Hmm?" Aztar raised an eyebrow momentarily. "Ah, right. I apologize. It must've been more than a month since you last came to subdue me. I'm no longer a Shaman."

"What?"

"I'm an envoy of the Goddess of Life, the progenitor of all things that breathe, Anila," Aztar said, taking a very slight bow. The serpent tied around his back made its way down to the ground and hissed at the three.

"...that book must've corrupted his mind whole. Even after burning it, its effects are seared in his mind," Bernice said, grabbing her mace tighter than before.

"Aztar, please," Illa said. "Don't do this. Don't you remember our good times, back at the guild? Why won't you please listen to us? Even now, we consider you our friend. Why did you turn your back on us?"

"...I only wish to protect the life of this forest," he replied, frowning ever so slightly. "I do not wish for this to end in bloodshed."

"What are you even talking about?!" Bernice gritted her teeth. "At least make some sense!" she yelled, shooting forward and aiming a strike at Aztar's stomach.

However, the man swiftly evaded, jumping to the nearby tree's side, and away, landing a little over 5 meters from the woman.

"I see. If that's what it is, then so it shall be. Lishen. Please, do not injure them too harshly. Blessing of Strength," the man said, channeling his mana. His right hand immediately started emanating some blue light. Rapidly, he made a small sign on the reptile's head, similar to what a rune on a scroll would look like. Surprisingly for the three spectators, wherever the hand moved, it left behind a thin line of the same pale color as its fingers were covered in. After barely a second, the man finished the drawing.

Instantly, the magic sign appeared to disappear, its power seeping between Lishen's scales. Almost as if on cue, the wyrm's eyes seemed to glow faintly. Its motions hastened drastically as it went into a defensive position.

Not one of the adventurers could believe what they were seeing.

Illa's face became so pale that she looked like she was about to faint. Bernice seemed agitated and surprised in equal measure, almost as if she became more agitated seeing the scene unfold. Jack wasn't sure how to even react to the situation, only raising his shield higher and taking a careful step forward.

"Please do not," Aztar warned them. "We all know you cannot subdue me. Please, just turn around and walk away while Lishen is still giving you a chance. I do not wish for this to turn into bloodshed."

"...bullshit," Bernice spat to her side and readied her mace. "As if a snake can stop us!" she shot forward, aiming a powerful downward strike, aiming to smash Lishen's skull outright.

However, instead of taking her head on, Lishen quickly slithered to the side, avoiding her strike, and sprung in her direction, bypassing her attempt at blocking, and bit into her side quickly. The woman's blood spewed from the wound. But it hardly was enough to stop the woman. With an angered roar, she made a spin, trying to catch the reptile off-guard. However, before the hit connected, she noticed Aztar appearing in her field of vision. With a single, powerful strike to her chest, the man sent her flying backward, tumbling right past her two companions, who were just now shaken out of their surprise.

"You should consider yourself lucky," Aztar said. "Wyrms do not excrete poison. Now, last chance: Leave."

"Aztar!" Illa roared, charging a magic strike. "Ice Wave!" She felt mana sapping from her body at a quick rate as it shot forward, creating a small wave of frost energy. However, as it traveled, the magic quickly expanded in size, making avoiding it difficult.

The ebony man barely responded to the attack. Letting it hit him, he shook the icy grasp off of himself in an instant. "I apologize, but that won't do."

The newbie with the shield charged forward, aiming to bash into Lishen. The reptile slithered out of his way, but didn't manage to avoid his attack completely, and ended up with a serious cut as Jack smashed his shield downward, attempting to cut it in half. With an angry hiss, Lishen bit into the man's leg deeply, and then again, into the other one, before quickly making its getaway.

Meanwhile, Aztar rushed forward. Illa tried to strike at him with several of her magic types. Still, barely anything even touched the man, let alone harm him significantly. He was too fast, too... strong.

'He's different from before. As a Shaman, he had strong magic, but now... his physique seems boosted, as well.' she came to the conclusion as she narrowly avoided a strike that would've sent her flying as it did to Bernice. Taking a swing with her staff, Illa charged magic in her spare hand whilst trying to cut the man's leg.

She cast earth magic under Aztar, but... he was already gone.

"This ends here," the Apostle of Life said from behind her. Before she managed to react, he struck at her hand, knocking her weapon out. With his second hand, he immobilized the woman's torso, not allowing her to escape from his grasp.

"...I loved you, Aztar. Everything was so well for us. We had plans, we had hope. Why did you throw all that out the window?"

Aztar's complexion darkened. A flicker of emotion crossed his face, almost like the faint remorse that he felt. "I never stopped loving you, Illa. It's just that I saw the bigger picture. I used to protect solely you, but then I understood. I am not protecting only you anymore. I am fighting for the safety of all life equally."

"...you really don't make sense. If you wanted a second woman, we could've at least talked!"

"...unfortunately, it seems no matter how many times I explain it, you cannot understand. I suppose I can only blame myself for that."

"..."

"My little friends will escort you out of the forest once you all wake up. Please follow them, and you will reach Bina easily."

"...?"

And then, he let Illa go before aiming a quick strike at the base of her neck. The strength of his blow was large enough to knock the woman out, making her tumble to the ground. Aztar looked up and saw how Lishen was suffocating Jack lightly, letting him go once he lost consciousness.

"Let us leave, Lishen," Aztar said, to which the wyrm answered with a quick hiss and slithered toward him. In no more than twenty seconds, it was back on the man's neck almost as if it were a scarf. "Our job is done."

-A few hours later, in the evening-

A small parrot danced in Aztar's palm as the man listened to its thoughts. 'They left safely. That's good.'

The man sighed lightly, leaning his back on the tree bark behind him. Lishen rested on his legs, no longer a wyrm, basking in the evening sun's rays. 'We've been sitting here for long enough. We need to move soon.' Aztar thought, seeing the parrot take off.

"Hey, Lishen," he said, slowly caressing the snake's head. The reptile hissed quietly in response, evidently enjoying the gesture. "I was thinking it's time for us to join the Competition. Do you think you're ready to cross the sea?"

...

Lishen hissed aggressively in response, immediately latching onto his hand and sliding upward.

"...I understand. Don't worry. We can take a boat from the city. The problem is, that we need to figure out something to prevent Bina's residents from trying to hunt in here... hmm... I will need a moment to think this through."

---

---

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/meedrowh